tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post8832949858136728451..comments2023-10-21T04:32:31.262-05:00Comments on Following Judah's Lion: Rick Fruehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879848568892457571noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-59362992992895539972007-03-08T21:00:00.000-05:002007-03-08T21:00:00.000-05:00I guess I have to agree with Paul Washer on the fa...I guess I have to agree with Paul Washer on the fact that there is no such thing as a carnal Christian according to the American carnal Christian definition. Paul, the apostle, describes the carnal Christian in a much different light than what you have and what Paul W. believes are unsaved people who don't show any fruit because they are not saved. If you look at 1Cor. 3, you will see what they are fighting over and what is dividing them. It is over men of God and who they "belong" to. All these carnal Christians were fighting about whose teachings they followed(all of which spoke the true Gospel and not another gospel). They were still contending for the truth or they would not have claimed to belong to these Godly men, but instead reject the teachings of Scripture, thus, allowing them to live according to the flesh nature(drunkedness sexual imorality etc). They were probably doing what we all fall into when we think our pastors have all the right answers...i.e. I follow Paul W's teachings or I follow John MacArthur's or R.C. Sproul all of whom teach solid Biblical instruction. We put them on a pedestal instead of Christ. Paul is telling them that they are acting as babes because they are focused on the deliverer of the Gospel instead of Christ. He never stated that they were babes because they still acted like the world, loved the world, did the things that the world does. When Paul W. talked about there being no such thing as carnal Christians he wasn't saying there are no babes in Christ. He was saying that these people who call themselves Christians have no evidence of a life-changing experience with the Holy Spirit because there is no fruit in their lives. He preached from 1John and also from the Scripture that says we will know them by their fruit. Phil 1:6 states that He who started a good work will finish it. So if they are Christians they can't love the world and do the things of the world and love Christ too. When Christians sin they grieve over their sins and will be miserable until they come to repentance. 1John says, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Besides 1Cor. 2:1, can you give me a Scripture that describes a carnal Christian this way "What is a carnal Christian? It is a person who hast lost the desire to serve and worship Jesus and he now walks and lives by the desires of his own flesh. This person once did follow Jesus and was a growing believer but he now languishes in a lethargy Spiritually but gains fleshly momentum. The Word no longer excites him and he leaves it alone. Prayer has long since ceased and he no longer speaks of Jesus and His kingdom." because I find just the opposite. I think it is just this kind of thinking that leads people into thinking that they are carnal Christians and can have their cake and eat it too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-17858284676336082012007-03-08T18:00:00.000-05:002007-03-08T18:00:00.000-05:00Hi, Rick,This really describes the struggle I feel...Hi, Rick,<BR/>This really describes the struggle I feel with hypocrisy so often. No matter how well intentioned I may be when I write or talk about the great faith we share, that pride is always hovering in the background and I have a daily, moment by moment struggle with that awful religious fanatic you mentioned that lives in me. I want so much to live for God's glory, but I find myself so often allowing distractions in or giving in to my temper or some other manifestation of my sin. I will continue to confess what I know is true, and I am so immensely grateful that my hope is in Christ's righteousness, but I also need to be very aware of the danger within when I take my eyes off Jesus and focus on myself. That's why the centering prayers and meditation techniques that are becoming increasingly mainstreamed are so dangerous. They take us within and focus on rituals and "spiritual" feelings, rather than focusing on Christ Jesus alone. Thank you brothers Rick and Mike for this very apt description and reminder.Rebekahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14959946409918907667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-80770683872694890852007-03-07T23:56:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:56:00.000-05:00Hi Rick,I agree, we all struggle sometime through ...Hi Rick,<BR/>I agree, we all struggle sometime through our walk and practice carnality. We battle our flesh and flesh means carnal. I've said this before and I will continue to say it Pride is the thing we battle with most. Until we focus on what Christ has done and not what we have done will we be able truely be humble.<BR/><BR/>I thank the Lord ....For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. Great post.<BR/><BR/>CristinaBaptist Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07098324019181081925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27942026.post-32351690482856905562007-03-07T21:21:00.000-05:002007-03-07T21:21:00.000-05:00Rick,As I read this post I was sure you must have ...Rick,<BR/><BR/>As I read this post I was sure you must have known me about 3 or 4 years ago. Yes, I was that man who was in total bondage to my flesh. My horrible religious fanatic had me convinced that I was okay, but God did not let me have that peace. I was miserable because I hated my sin, but I seemed to have no power to repent. Yes, our sin nature or whatever name we want to give it is a monster of iniquity who hates God, but pretends to serve Him and lies to us to think that we are serving Him when we do religious things. <BR/><BR/>God has drawn me from that hell on earth, but I know that every time people compliment me for what I write or do or say that that evil thing in me wants me to become puffed up and take credit for it, to get people to notice me and see what a great Christian I am. I fight this horrible thing off everyday - all day. Why? I know that once I fall into that trap that the Lord's hand will be taken away and I will be doing what I do on my own and that means it will be empty and totally absent of the Holy Spirit. I pray that that never happens...again. <BR/><BR/>Great post Rick!<BR/><BR/><BR/>In Christ<BR/><BR/>Mike RatliffMike Ratliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14067841429011899105noreply@blogger.com